Sprinkling apparatus



Dec. 3, 1940. w. H. com-2s ETAL SPRINKLING APPARATUS Filed April 3, 1939 Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRINKLING APPARATUS Walter H. Coles and Bert J. Nelson,'Troy, Ohio, assignors to The SkinnerlIrrigation Company,

Troy, Ohio, a corporatio nof Ohio Application April 3, 1939, Serial No. 265,636

5 Claims. (01. 299-69) 5 a sprinkling device in which the rotational movement of a distributing nozzle is controlled by the conjoint action of a reaction force produced by areaction stream and an impact device which taps or strikes the rotatable sprinkler head to imfm part a step by step rotative force thereto.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sprinkling device having a main distributing nozzle for directing a stream substantially radially outwardly and at a suitable upward inclinal5 tion, and having'a reaction nozzle which directs a stream at an angle to the radial direction to apply a reaction force to the nozzle, the reaction nozzle being provided with a mechanical impact means operated by the stream coming from the reaction nozzle and imparting a step by step 'rotative force to the main nozzle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sprinkling device of the character mentioned tion of the reaction stream and the force of the impact blows.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. 7

In the drawing in which like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views thereof,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of asprinkling device embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the sprinkling device,the central portion of the same being shown in vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thereaction nozzle and the impact mechanism, shown on an enlarged scale and with certain parts illustrated in section; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. 45 The sprinkler, which is illustrated as a preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises a sprinkler head l rotatably mounted on a suitable support II and having a main distributing (nozzle I2 and an auxiliary nozzle l3 for sprinkling 50 or watering the ground. The main distributing nozzle is provided at the outer end of an upwardly inclined pipe I4 and extends preferably radially outwardly and at a suitable upward inclination so as to throw the stream to a consider- 5 5 able distance. The auxiliary nozzle I3 is secured having provisions for readily adjusting the direcon a reaction head l5 which is arranged on the outer end of a radially extending pipe IS.

The inner ends of the pipes l4 and I6 communicatewith a supply chamber to which the water is furnished through openings IS in the V shell 20, the latter forming an upward extension of the stationary support II- which is provided with suitable threads 2| adapted to be secured to a water supply pipe or coupling. 6

The lower part of thesprinkler head I0 is 10 formed by a nut 22 having a threaded upward extension 23 which is in threaded engagement with the upper part of the head as shown in Fig; 2. Inside of the nut 22 is a space 24 which receives the spring 25, upper and lower washers 26 and 21, and suitable packing 28. The upper washer 26 engages a flange 29 and the spring is provided between the washers so as to normally hold them apart and maintain the packing under suiiicient force to prevent leakage, from the water 2 chamber H. The upper end of the shell is closed by its top wall 30. Two semi-circular rings 3| are received in a groove 32 provided'at the upper end of the shell 20, the lower sides of these ring portions bearing against a metal plate 33 and the uppersides bearing against'the cover plate 36, thus rotatably supporting the sprinkler head on the support The plate 33 rests on a packing washer 34 which acts as a seal to prevent water from leaking upwardly around the shell 20. The upper side of the plate 33 is engaged by the removable top cover plate 36 which is connected to the top of the body portion of the sprinkler head by means of suitable attaching screws 37.

The stream which issues from the auxiliary or '35 reaction nozzle I3 is preferably considerably smaller than that distributed from the main nozzle l2, and the reaction nozzle is adapted to be positioned adjustably so as to distribute the reaction stream at a desired angle to the radial 4 direction in order that the reaction force can be readily changed to give a comparatively high speed of operation or a speed of rotation that may be as small as desired. The reaction head l5, as shown, is adjustably supported for rotational movement on the upper end of an elbow 38, preferably by screw threads, and is provided with a lug 39 which projects between two spaced arms 40 and 4| which extend from a collar 42 that is brazedor screwed to the elbow 38. The space between the arms 40 and 4| is considerably larger than the width of the lug 39 and permits adjustment of the axis of nozzle I3 from a position, in the vertical planeocf the nozzle |2 to a wide angular position as shown in Fig. 1. 'I'he o5 two arms 4!! and 4| are provided with the adjustable thumb screws 43 and 44 theinner ends of which bear against opposite sides of lug 39 and thus rigidly hold the reaction head 15 in the desired position on the elbow 38. The thumb screw 43 may be loosened and the thumb screw 44 tightened to turn the head I to decrease the effective component of the reaction force. By loosening screw 44 and tightening screw 43 the reaction force component may be increased.

' The stream issuing from the reaction nozzle 13 operates a mechanical impact device which is arranged outside of the water passages in the sprinkler, and thus eliminates ,anyinterference that might be otherwise caused by excessive dirt in the water. This impact device imparts a'step' by step rotative movement to thesprinkler head serving to rotate the sprinkler head in the same direction of rotation as that due to the reaction force. It will thus be apparent that the direction of the reaction stream may be soadjusted as to give only a small or even negligible turning 'efiect on the main sprinkler nozzleso that the: rotative force on the sprinkler head will come principally from the "impact device, giving a slow step by step movement, such as might'give a speed of rotation of the order of 1 revolution in minutes. However the speed of rotation may be made asfast as desired by suitable regulation of the rotative forces.

The impact device preferably comprises an impact arm 46 pivotally supported on a stud 47 ,"which iszfixed to the reaction head l5 and which projects upwardly preferably at a suitable angle of inclination as shown in Fig. 3.- One end of the arm projects rearwardly from the nozzle to form a counterweight portion 48, the forward end of the arm projecting over the nozzle and carrying a vane 49 which is normally urged toa position in front of the reaction stream issuing from nozzle 13. The vane 49 is of generally triangular form, having diverging water engaging surfaces 56 and 5!, each of which is shown with a lower flange projection 54, the body portion of the vane being pivotally supported on a stud 52 which is threaded in the arm 46.- A lug 53 carried by the arm 46 projects down substantially between the two cars 55 and 56 which limit the swinging movement of the vane on the stud so that either one or the other of the surfaces 50 or- 5! may be arranged substantially parallel to the axis of the nozzle l3.

In the normal position of the arm 46 as shown in Fig. 4, this arm'engages a stop 58 provided on the reaction head 55, and is yieldingly urged against this stop by means of a spring 59 one end of which engages the arm while the other end engages the fixed stud 41. As shown, the spring 59 is a spiral coil spring having one end bent inwardly and received in a notch or groove 68 provided in the stud 41 while the other end of the spring is turned outwardly as indicated at 6! and is received in a slot 62 provided in a spring enclosing ring 63 which is fixed to a cover plate 64. A nut'65 threadednn the outer end of the stud 41 retains the cover plate 64 and the spring in position, with the ring 63 fitting in a cylindrical passage 65 provided in the hub portion of the'arm 46. The spring tension may be adjusted by turningthe coverplate 64, and the cover is held in adjusted position on the arm by means of a screw 55 the head of which overlaps and bears against the top of-the peripheral portion of the cover plate (i4. When the screw 65 is loosened, the cover 64, which is preferably provided with a knurled peripheral portion, may be turned to properly tension the spring so that it will return the arm from a. displaced position into engagement with the stop 58 with a desired impact force.

The stream of water issuing from the reaction nozzle i3 strikes against the pivoted vane, and if the vane is in a centered position as indicated in Fig. 4, the vane is swung clockwise until the ear 55 strikes against the lug 53, since an'outward deflecting projection GT is providedat the outer end of the surface 5! This applies the force of r the water to the surface 5i and the arm 46 is therefore swung counterclockwise against the acately after the stop is struck, thestream swings the arm out again, this action being repeated time after time and each returning movement of the arm producing an impact serving to tap the sprinkler head and produce a step by step move- -ment of the main distributing nozzle.

With rotatable sprinklers in which the rotational movements are produced entirelycbyreaction means, the resistance to turning may prevent the sprinkler from starting, especially where the reaction nozzle is arranged to give a slow speed of rotation, and sprinklers in whichthe rotational;

movements of a main distributing nozzle are given solely by impact means mayrequire impactblows of considerable magnitude', especially where the sprinkler is of large size and throws a large stream of water to a considerable distance. However, as will now be apparent, the present invention provides a construction in which the impact means may be so arranged as to give comparae tively small blows which when added to a small continuous turning force obtained from a reaction nozzle insure proper starting and give a very wide range of speeds of operation.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention,'it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to this precise form of apparatus, and

"that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

n 1. A sprinkler of the character described "comprising a support, a sprinkler head rotatably mounted on said support, a, main distributing nozzle on said head for projecting a stream angularly upwardly and substantially radially outwardly, an auxiliary distributing nozzle'on said head for directing a stream at an angle to the radial direction to apply a reaction force to the head in a direction to rotate the head'on the support, and an oscillatory mechanical impact lever pivotally carried by said auxiliary nozzle and having means operated by the stream from said auxiliary nozzle for swinging the lever, said lever having means for tapping the auxiliary nozzle at the end of its oscillatorymovementin radial prising asupport, a sprinkler head rotatably mounted on said support, a main distributing nozzle on said head for projecting a stream angularly upwardly and substantially radially outwardly, an auxiliary distributing nozzle on said head for directing a] stream at an angle to the direction to apply a reaction force to the head in a direction to rotate the head on the support, means to vary the amount of the reaction force applied to the head, amechanical impact means operated by the stream issuing from said auxiliary nozzle for tapping the sprinklerhead to impart a step by step rotative force to the sprinkler head in the same direction as the reaction force of the auxiliary distributing nozzle, andmeans to vary the rotative force of said impact means independently of variations of the reaction force of the auxiliary nozzle.

3. A sprinkler of the character described comprising a support, a sprinkler head rotatably mounted on said support, a main distributing .nozzle on said head for projecting a stream angularly upwardly and substantially radially out- Wardly, a reaction nozzle adjustably fixed on said head, adjustable means operable to determine the direction of distribution of the stream from the reaction nozzle to vary the amount of the reaction force on the head resulting therefrom, and a mechanical impact means carried by the reaction nozzle and operated by the stream issuing from the reaction nozzle for tapping the sprinkler head to impart a step by step rotative force to the sprinkler headin the same direction as the reaction force of the auxiliary distributing nozzle. 4

4.,A sprinkler of the character-described comprising asupport, a sprinkler head rotatably in the same direction I nozzle impacted by said arm at the end from the reaction nozzle.

a mounted on said support, a main distributing nozzle on said head for projecting a stream angula-rly upwardly and substantially radially outwardly, a reaction nozzle adjustably fixed on said head, adjustable means operable to vary the amount of the reaction force on the head resulting therefrom, and a mechanical impact means operated by the stream issuing from the reaction nozzle for tapping the sprinkler head to impart a step by'step rotative force to the sprinkler head as the reaction force of the auxiliary distributing nozzle.

5. A sprinkler of the character described comprising a support, a sprinkler head rotatably mounted on said support for movement about a substantially vertical axis, a main distributing nozzle fixed on said head for directing a stream angularly upwardly and substantially radially outwardly, an auxiliary reaction nozzle on said head for directing a stream at an angle to a radial direction to apply a reaction force to the head to urge the head rotatably on the support, means to the radial direction, an oscillatable arm carried by said reaction nozzle, a vane on said armand arranged to swing back and forth in front of the reaction nozzle, spring means for returning the arm to the stream, and means on said reaction of a swinging movement thereof to impart a step by step rotative force on the sprinkler head in the same direction asthe reaction force resulting WAL'I'ER H. C'OLES. BERT J. NELSON. 

